Curt Lennart Ohlsson

CURT LENNART OHLSSON Curt Lennart Ohlsson died on December 13, 2018, at home in the company of loved ones. He was 70. He was born June 10, 1948, to Lennart Yngve Ohlsson of Helsingborg, Sweden, and Mary Bendix Ohlsson (Chicago)in Bremerhaven, Germany, within days of the onset of the Berlin Airlift. As the elder son of a career US Army officer, he grew accustomed to frequent moves and new schools in Oakland, California, Yokohama, Japan, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Wilton, Connecticut, and, finally, Arlington, Virginia. While living on military bases during his early teens, he took up NRA-sponsored competitive target shooting, a hobby that he would pursue through shooting clubs and scholastic teams with some success through his high school years. For several summers in a row, beginning about this time, he worked as a camp counselor at Nimrod Hall Boys’ Camp on the banks of the Cowpasture River in Bath County, Virginia, a place and an experience he would speak of with wonder and fondness throughout his life. Also, at some point during this impressionable period, Curt participated in a school-sponsored student exchange that gave him an opportunity to live for several weeks with a family in Holland before flying on to Lebanon, where somehow his group was permitted to tour a Palestinian refugee camp. His interest in the Middle East and international affairs would only grow from that time forward. Curt began attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, beginning as an ROTC cadet in the summer of 1966 and ultimately receiving his BA degree in Economics. During his time at Tech, he forged some lifelong friendships, among them, Terry Adsit, with whom Curt shared their first apartment. Recently Terry traveled from his home in Florida, visiting with Curt for the last time just days before Curt passed away. For many years after graduating from VPI and moving back to Northern Virginia he continued to take classes in world history, public policy and international affairs at George Mason University, at his own expense and apparently for no other reason than his own intellectual curiosity. Following a brief stint in the private sector, Curt took a federal position with USAID for several years and then with the Federal Maritime Commission where he was to remain until he retired 30 years later. At FMC Curt worked closely for many years with Ron Murphy who, along with his wife Jean, became lifelong friends and travel companions. Ron and Curt shared an enthusiasm for Tech football, which took them down the road to Blacksburg together on many a cold and windy day. Around 1974, Curt met the woman who was to hold his heart and trust for the rest of his life. They began as neighbors, but in time Curt and Rose Mary became near-constant companions and yet each remained their own person. Her family became his family, too. From early on, travel was always a priority for Curt, whether a two-week driving trip of “blue highways” through the American West in his VW bug or an ocean cruise in the Mediterranean. He explored every state in the US (most of them numerous times) and every province in Canada except Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territory. No continent in the world eluded him except Antarctica. In the course of his travels, he collected fine craftwork of several Native American cultures, including Inuit soapstone prints from Cape Dorset, Canada. He also assembled an impressive collection of scrimshaw over the years. Curt couldn’t dance and he couldn’t sing, but he knew how to be a good friend and a good brother. He will always be remembered for his devotion to family and friends, his modesty, his kindness, and his generosity. He is survived by his life partner of 40 years, Rose Mary Rowland, his brother Neil Ohlsson (Margaret Buchanan), nephews, Ethan Shepherd (Lydia Roberts) and Jonathan Shepherd, and niece, Emma Ohlsson. The graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, December 20,2018 at Columbia Garden Cemetery, 3411 Arlington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201. Immediately following the graveside service a Celebration of Life will take place at The Cardinal House, 3000 Spout Run Pkwy, Arlington, VA 22201. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Salvation Army, CARE, Shriners Hospitals for Children, or a charity of choice.